Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 10

स्कन्दसरः (Skandasara) — तीर्थवर्णनम् / Description of the Skandasara Sacred Lake

Devanagari script

इतस्ततो ऽप्सु मज्जद्भिरिष्टशिष्टैः शिलागतैः । तिलैश्च साक्षतैः पुष्पैस्त्यक्तदर्भपवित्रकैः

Transliteration

itastato 'psu majjadbhiriṣṭaśiṣṭaiḥ śilāgataiḥ | tilaiśca sākṣataiḥ puṣpaistyaktadarbhapavitrakaiḥ

Translation

ตามที่ต่าง ๆ เหล่าผู้ศรัทธาผู้มีวินัยอันน่าเคารพ เมื่อดำอยู่ในสายน้ำ ก็ประกอบการบูชาด้วยศิลาจากแม่น้ำ งา อักษตะ (ข้าวสารไม่แตก) และดอกไม้ โดยวางดัรภะ-ปวิตรกะไว้ต่างหาก

Word by Word

• इतस्: from here
• इतस्: Deśa (देश)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इतस् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; दिशावाचक/स्थानवाचक (ablatival adverb)

• ततस्: from there
• ततस्: Deśa (देश)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततस् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; दिशावाचक/स्थानवाचक (ablatival adverb)

• अप्सु: in the waters
• अप्सु: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अप् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (अप्-शब्दः), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), बहुवचन

• मज्जद्भिः: by those immersing/bathing
• मज्जद्भिः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मज्ज् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्यय (Present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन

• इष्टशिष्टैः: by the dear and the learned/virtuous
• इष्टशिष्टैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इष्ट + शिष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन; द्वन्द्वः (इष्टाः च शिष्टाः च)

• शिलागतैः: by those who have gone onto the stone
• शिलागतैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिला + गत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन; विग्रहः: शिलां गतैः (gone onto the stone)

• तिलैः: with sesame seeds
• तिलैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• साक्षतैः: with unbroken rice (akṣata)
• साक्षतैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स + अक्षत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन; विग्रहः: अक्षतैः सह (with unbroken rice grains)

• पुष्पैः: with flowers
• पुष्पैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुष्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन

• त्यक्तदर्भपवित्रकैः: by those who have discarded darbha-rings (ritual grass rings)
• त्यक्तदर्भपवित्रकैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्यक्त + दर्भ + पवित्रक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन; विशेषण; विग्रहः: त्यक्तानि दर्भपवित्रकाणि येषाम् तैः (having discarded darbha-rings)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Pashupatinātha

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: General tīrtha-worship setting; the verse details upacāras (sesame, akṣata, flowers) used by devotees while bathing—typical of Śaiva tīrtha-vidhi rather than a specific Jyotirliṅga legend.

Significance: Highlights that simple, sattvic materials offered with discipline during snāna become efficacious for Śiva-arcana; stresses inner purity over elaborate paraphernalia.

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in the Shiva Purana?

It highlights purification and devotion: bathing (śuddhi) and simple, sattvic offerings express the soul’s humility before Pati (Shiva), preparing the devotee to receive Shiva’s grace that loosens pāśa (bondage).

How does this verse relate to the worship of the Linga or Saguna Shiva?

The listed offerings—flowers, sesame, and akṣata—are standard upacāras used for Saguna Shiva worship, commonly offered to the Shiva Linga after ritual bathing, emphasizing accessible devotion rather than elaborate rites.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform sacred bathing (snāna), then offer til (sesame), akṣata, and flowers with focused bhakti—ideally while mentally repeating the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) as inner worship.